Unraveling the Thread
by Wren Sharpbeak
Summary: Loose ends left by the weaver present the problem of someone else having to tie them off…or pull a string and unravel the fabric entirely. I’ve decided to pull. Post-war story based on the canon series and the plot-holes found within it.
1. Departure

**Disclaimer:** the characters and places in the following work of fan-fiction are the intellectual property of Nickelodeon and, as such, they reserve the right to remove this story at their sole discretion.

* * *

**Unraveling the Thread**

**Chapter 1: Departure**

Gilded dragons danced across the surface of an otherwise unremarkable porcelain teapot, their twisting bodies glimmering in the sunlight streaming through the open window. With great care, the fragile piece of crockery was picked up from the dresser and placed into a velvet-lined box, pale fingers stroking the decorated surface briefly before confining it to darkness as the lid dropped shut.

After a short trip across polished floors, the box was nestled into a clothing-filled bag alongside an ornate box of rare teas. It was a perfect birthday gift, and Zuko couldn't help the pleased grin that lit his face when he imagined his uncle's reaction. It's as the old general always said, '_Sometimes the best things in life, are the simplest things as well_'.

Checking Iroh's gift off the mental list of things to pack, Zuko moved on to the next item, which was stowed away in a drawer. He crossed the room back to the dresser and retrieved a small polished container, beautiful in its simplicity and holding a rare treasure indeed.

Snapping the clasp open as he carried it to his bag, he looked inside; partially to reassure himself that nothing had happened to the contents, but mostly just to admire it again. Upon hearing the familiar sound of silken robes rustling in the doorway, he quickly shut the ebony box, tucking it into his bag before turning to find Mai.

"You're done packing already?" he asked in surprise. Then in a more playful tone, he added, "It usually takes you _hours_."

The remark was clearly meant to goad her into a smile, and usually this form of teasing banter always coaxed one out of her. But this time she did not rise to the occasion. Instead, her face was a mask of detached calm.

"I'm not coming."

Zuko's brow furrowed in confusion, wondering if this was her idea of a joke…a bad joke. But he managed to keep his tone light, if clearly bewildered, as he took a hesitant step toward her.

"What do you mean you're not coming?"

"I mean," she replied in her customarily dispassionate voice. "I'm not going to Ba Sing Se with you."

"But…everyone's going to be there. All of our friends."

_All __**your**__ friends_, she thought sadly.

It wasn't that she didn't get along with the Avatar and the others; they were actually very nice to her. In fact, whenever they got together, Sokka always made it a point to rehash in grand detail that fateful day at the Boiling Rock when Mai had saved their hides.

Sometimes though, she felt like he was only doing it to make her feel like part of the 'group'. She hadn't exactly fought on their side during the war, and it was no secret that her one act of redemption was purely for Zuko's sake and no other.

But for now, she kept these thoughts to herself, wordlessly crossing the room to the window with a quiet sigh.

"Mai," prompted Zuko seriously, his voice filled with concern as he followed behind her, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Everything," she shrugged, her voice sounding placid…and sad. "I'm not sure I know anymore."

"Is…is it something I've done?" asked Zuko meekly, "something I _haven't_ done. I mean, I know I've been busy and-"

"It's not you, Zuko," she interrupted tiredly, finally turning to face him. "And it's not us…not really."

"Then tell me what it _is_," he pleaded, "and I'll fix it. I promise."

For one brief second, Mai's resolve faltered. He looked so earnest, so confused, that she almost lost the will to go through with what she came to do. She loved him; there was no denying that. But her mind had been made up, and…

"This isn't something you can fix."

If the young Fire Lord _looked _lost, he sounded even more so. "I don't understand."

The truth of the matter was that she didn't understand it herself. But she heaved a sigh and moved to sit down on the bed next to the bags, determined to try and put into words what had been weighing on her mind so heavily for the last few months.

"When you left the Fire Nation after the eclipse, you were doing what you knew was right for our country…for the world. But at the time, I didn't care."

"Mai…we've already been through this-"

"No, you don't understand," she interrupted unhappily. "I really _didn't care_. I didn't _care_ about our country. I didn't care about the _world_. And all this time, I've never been able to figure out how _you_ could care so much about something so…_big_ and…so beyond ourselves that you would just give everything up; even me. But I think now I'm starting to get it.

"I've spent my whole life learning to be what other people expect of me; my parents…Azula." She quickly held up a hand, cutting Zuko short just as he opened his mouth to speak. "And I never bothered to question what I was doing or how it affected anyone else….or whether or not it was wrong.

"You've spent the last year trying to atone for a century of war. You've bent over backwards trying to make everyone happy because you really do care. You always have. And now, I want to see if I can care too."

"By leaving me?" he demanded incredulously. "What is that supposed to accomplish?"

She sighed once more and stood up. "I want to find something to care about that doesn't revolve around what _I_ want; something that doesn't make me feel selfish. I need to find my own way, Zuko."

He bowed his head as he began to comprehend her intent and the motivation behind it. And he knew then that there was no amount of pleading, no token he could offer that would change her mind. This was something she had to do, and _that_ he understood. After all, he had walked this same road once before himself.

"You aren't just leaving me," he stated quietly. "You're leaving the Fire Nation."

"Yes."

A brief moment of silence lingered between them, and then she began walking toward the door. He wanted to stop her, make her turn around and look at him one last time, but couldn't bring himself to do it by force.

"Where will you go?"

"I don't know."

"Are you coming back?"

"I don't know."

She was still moving away, and he was becoming desperate to make her stop.

"Mai!" he called just as she was about to cross the threshold, and she finally stopped. He'd run out of questions, so he blurted out, "I'll wait for you."

At last, she turned around, and he saw that now she was smiling, but it was a smile filled with the sorrow of parting and the pain of loss.

"No," she said simply. "You won't. And I don't want you to."

She gave him one last smile and then she was gone, leaving Zuko too stunned to feel anything other than a sudden but somehow familiar emptiness. He stared at the vacant door for several minutes, waiting (hoping) she would come back. But she didn't, and he realized that she wasn't going to either.

Finally taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, he somberly resumed his packing.

* * *

"You know, I really _can_ do this by myself," Toph said as she dug through a drawer of her bureau containing an absolutely unreasonable number of brushes and combs.

One by one, she tossed them out, her mother frantically stooping to pick each of them up as they hit the floor. Despite the flustered activity however, the older woman's voice remained carefully tender as she replied.

"I know you can, dear. It's just that, you always run off in such a hurry when you go to visit your friends, I wanted to see you off properly this time."

"Ah ah!" cried Toph as she held up the object of her search, a battered silver comb that had probably been quite lovely when it was first crafted.

Lady Bei Fong looked first at her daughter, then down at the armload of unused hair accessories with dismay while Toph walked over to put the tarnished piece into her rucksack.

"Wouldn't you rather take one of _these_?" she offered hopefully.

"No, I like _this_ one. And don't bother putting those back," she stated, halting her mother just as she was about to do so, "I'm never going to use them anyway."

With a defeated sigh, Mrs. Bei Fong threw her hands up, letting the combs and brushes clatter to the floor. She'd have a servant dispose of them after Toph left. Meanwhile, the blind girl was still bustling about the room, gathering up things for her journey.

Seeing her daughter's attention somewhat diverted, Mrs. Bei Fong snuck over to an armoire and rifled through it. Peeking furtively over her shoulder, she pulled out a garment and hastily stuffed it into the bag. Toph stopped rummaging trough a trunk and frowned.

"What did you just put in my bag?" she demanded.

"Nothing!"

Easily detecting the lie, Toph walked over to the bag and yanked out a length of fine silk peppered with ribbons; a dress. Her mother snatched it away with a guilty frown.

"Wanted to 'see me off properly', huh?"

"Toph," she pleaded. "Your father and I are more than willing to let you travel around with your friends. But the Bei Fongs are a well-known and respected family. All we ask is that you represent us with dignity."

Toph stopped picking wax out of her ear, sniffing curiously at the tiny bit of goo before balling it between two fingers and flicking it across the room.

"I can be dignified," she shrugged. "But I'm not wearing that dress."

Mrs. Bei Fong opened her mouth to make another appeal, but a rumbling roar from the garden outside cut her off.

"Sorry, Mom," Toph chirped, "but my ride is here."

With that, she grabbed her sack and headed for the door, her mother following behind her, dress still in hand. When they came out into the garden, Aang was already on the ground with Katara beside him.

"Hey, Toph!" called the Avatar cheerfully.

"Hey, guys!" she grinned back before stepping forward and pulling both her friends into a swift hug, "Long time, no see." Releasing them, she felt around the courtyard, listening for two more voices and hearing none.

"Where are Boomerang Boy and Fan Girl?"

"Sokka finally finished his boat, so he and Suki are sailing," explained Katara. "They'll meet us in Ba Sing Se."

"You mean it actually floats?" scoffed Toph.

"Are you kidding?" interjected Aang. "It practically _flies_!"

"He got a few new ideas from Teo," Katara added with a roll of her eyes.

Toph chuckled knowingly, "I gotta hand it to her, that Suki is one brave girl."

Laughing, the trio began making their way to Appa when Toph stopped suddenly and grabbed Aang by the arm.

"Oh! Did you bring it?"

"Yup!" replied Aang, removing a small bag from his shirt and handing it to her. "The board is packed on Appa."

Eagerly taking the small sack, Toph opened it and pulled out several carved Pai Sho tiles, running her fingers over each of them with a smile. She could feel the detailed images easily and her grinned broadened.

"Aang, these are awesome!"

"I thought this was supposed to be a gift for _Iroh_," teased Katara.

"It _is_ a gift for him" Toph insisted as she replaced the tiles and handed the bag back to Aang. "He's always saying he wants to teach me to play, and now he'll be able to."

Feeling a little put out by her daughter's impending departure, Toph's mom spoke up hesitantly. "Would you kids like to stay and have some tea before you go?"

The three finally turned toward her, only just now aware of her presence.

"Oh, uh, no thanks," answered Aang with slight discomfort. "We really need to get moving if we're going to make it to Ba Sing Se in time for Iroh's party."

Even though the matter of Toph's 'kidnapping' the year before had finally been resolved between him and the Bei Fongs, there was still a lingering tension whenever he came to see his earth-bending teacher. Her mother was amicable enough, but Lao was typically less pleasant. The nobleman had only begrudgingly agreed to let Toph travel, and only because he realized that it was impossible to keep her contained.

Heaving a small, disappointed sigh, Mrs. Bei Fong made one last attempt at a delay.

"Are you _sure_ you have everything you need?" she asked her daughter.

"I'm only going to be gone for a few days," Toph said in exasperation as she began to climb up into Appa's saddle.

Seeing the resigned sadness on the older woman's face, Katara leaned in and whispered reassuringly, "If she decides to stay longer, I'll write and let you know."

Then she held out her hand to take the dress, knowing that Toph would be unable to 'see' the exchange from Appa's back. Handing it over, a relieved and deeply grateful smile lit Mrs. Bei Fong's face, and she gave Katara a brief, awkward hug.

"Thank you, dear."

Katara merely returned the smile and then climbed onto Appa's back. Moments later, the group was airborne, leaving behind the Bei Fong estate and the lonely woman waving to the sky long after she could no longer see them.

* * *

**Author's note:** After careful consideration (and some very helpful advice from those reading my 'mock season three' series), I've decided to go ahead and start my post-war story. My original project (which will be published on FictionPress) will not be posted until my other Avatar story is complete. I think two stories are all I can handle at a time.

I would like to make it clear that, while this story picks up after the canon series, it is my intention to explore the loose ends left hanging after the finale and, as the title states, _unravel_ them. And yes, I'm talking about romances too.

That being said, however, the romances here will _not_ be built upon unsubstantiated secret crushes, or contrived disappointments in the people who were paired together in the finale. In this story, canon happened exactly as it was shown, with no second-guessing or speculation on the motivations of the primary characters.

There are several points to be made in this tale. One of them is that sometimes people change; they grow up and they grow apart and no one is at fault for the occurrence. Another is that people must face all the consequences of their actions…and inactions; that a person's values and ideals cannot be adhered to only when it suits their own desires. The last lesson is about learning to let go, truly let go, of the things that hold one back in life; pride, doubt, selfishness, fear, and pain.

As always, feedback is deeply appreciated, and I look forward to hearing your reactions.


	2. Arrival

**Unraveling the Thread**

**Chapter 2: Arrival**

Sokka hurried down the pristine streets of Ba Sing Se's upper ring with a slightly green Suki in tow. Her abnormal coloring had nothing to do with her outfit, however. The breakneck pace at which they'd sailed from Kyoshi Island made her rather seasick and the brisk run immediately after their landing was just making it worse.

But despite her queasy stomach, she didn't quite have the heart to tell Sokka to slow down. So she was utterly relieved when their destination, a stately house that served as the Avatar's official living quarters when visiting the city, finally came into view.

"Ha! No Appa!" the water tribe warrior declared triumphantly, pointing to the empty lawn that the bison usually occupied. "I told you we'd beat Aang here!"

"That's great, Sokka," groaned Suki listlessly.

After the rough morning she'd had so far, she was naturally less than enthusiastic about his victory. But she didn't want to ruin it for him, so she held her tongue. He was still gloating as he strode up to the house when a blur of blue came rushing at them.

"Sokka!"

He didn't quite have time to brace himself before his sister came bounding down the steps to capture him in a hug, and his jaw went slack as he sputtered out a response.

"Katara! How'd you get here without Appa?"

She stepped back with a grin of confusion. "What are you talking about? Aang and I got here yesterday with Toph."

"Hey, Meathead," called the blind girl from the door, as if on cue. "S'up, Suki?"

"You guys…got here _yesterday_?" asked the Kyoshi Warrior slowly, shooting an icy glare at her boyfriend. He winced.

Oblivious to the silent exchange, Katara said, "Yeah, Aang's been up at the palace all morning talking to the Earth King. He'll meet us at the Jasmine Dragon later. But Toph and I were about to go have some tea with Iroh and then visit a spa, would you like to come with us, Suki? You look like you could use a little pampering."

"Or a long nap," offered Toph skeptically, noticing the faint quiver in Suki's stance. "You feeling okay?"

"I'll be fine," the girl assured them weakly, "Sokka sailed us here at top speed, and the seas were really rough. I'm just a little seasick is all."

"Eh, a little pampering will do you some good then," Sokka said decisively. He stretched his arms with a wide yawn and added, "Me, I think I'll just…"

His voice trailed off as he noticed the distinct glares he was getting from the girls. Even Toph's disturbing pale gaze was pointed disapprovingly in his direction.

"Just…come along and pay for everything," he finished meekly.

This decision earned him three smug grins from his companions, and he let out a short sigh as he dutifully followed after them.

* * *

Seagulls circled lazily over the wooden Earth Kingdom vessel, and Mai spared the birds a quick glance from her spot on the bow. The ship was nearing land.

Realizing this, a sudden twinge of apprehension struck her; perhaps she should have written first. But the thought passed as quickly as it came once she spotted the island on the horizon. There hadn't been time to send a hawk before she left, so she just had to hope she'd be welcome here.

A short while later, the boat docked at the harbor and Mai quickly made her way down the gangplank. The quiet little village that had managed to stay out of a century of war was now a bustling center of activity for the peace efforts that followed. It had certainly changed since her last visit several months ago.

Intending to ask around for directions, she was caught off guard by an unexpected shout.

"Mai!"

She turned toward the sound to find a brightly painted face running at her. Practically leaping actually, a trait that easily betrayed the identity of the otherwise anonymous person dressed exactly like a half a dozen girls also standing on the pier.

"Oh, Mai! It's so _good_ to see you!" cried the girl happily, simultaneously throwing her arms around the noblewoman's shoulders.

Mai returned the embrace, and was suddenly overwhelmed with a strange sense of relief. Until that moment, she had no idea how much she desperately _needed_ that hug. The abruptness of this realization made her throat feel oddly swollen when she spoke.

"It's good to see you too, Ty Lee."

The two girls pulled away from each other, Mai doing so with inexplicable reluctance, and looked one another over. A puzzled expression crossed Ty Lee's face.

"What?" asked Mai suspiciously.

"Huh?" Ty Lee blinked as if snapping from a daze. "Oh, nothing…it's….never mind. You'll think it's stupid."

"Try me."

"It's just, I've never seen your aura so…._blue_ before."

What had been mild curiosity a second ago now turned to worry as Mai inquired warily, "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"For you, I think it's a good thing," Ty Lee answered thoughtfully. Then her face settled into a look of certainty to amend, "Definitely a good thing."

"If you say so," Mai shrugged, a small smile creeping across her face, "I'll take your word for it."

"But, what are you doing here? I thought you and Zuko would be halfway to Ba Sing Se by now for Iroh's birthday." Ty Lee glanced around the dock as if expecting to see the Fire Lord standing around, but frowned when she didn't find him. "Isn't he here with you?"

"No…he's not…we…" Mai faltered, "We split up."

"He didn't!" gasped Ty Lee, appalled.

"No, _he_ didn't…I did."

As if Mai and Zuko breaking up wasn't enough of a shock, the revelation that it was Mai who did the leaving had Ty Lee completely flabbergasted.

"_Why_?"

At this, Mai let out one of her trademark sighs. "It's a long story."

Ty Lee was still practically speechless, and in the silence that followed, one of the Kyoshi Warriors called out.

"Everything's loaded up, Ty Lee! We're ready when you are."

"Okay, I'll be there in a minute!" she hollered back.

For the first time since she arrived, Mai noticed a mid-sized Fire Nation cargo-liner anchored at one of the docks, and the other Kyoshi Warriors were gathered near the plank as though preparing to board it.

Eager to change the subject, Mai asked, "So what's going on?"

"Oh, we're escorting some old tanks to the Northern Air Temple. They were being used to help clear the debris from the Wulong Forest, but now that the reclamation crews are getting ready to start replanting, the tanks aren't needed anymore and Zuko wants them dismantled. This is the second shipment, actually. The first one was attacked and several tanks were stolen."

"I remember Zuko mentioning that…"

"Yeah. So this time, we're going along to make sure nothing happens."

"I guess I came at a bad time then," Mai observed dejectedly. "I won't keep you."

For a split second, Ty Lee seemed equally disappointed, but then she brightened as a grand idea struck her.

"Why don't you come with us?"

By now, the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors were gathering near, and Mai shook her head hesitantly.

"I don't want to be a bother…"

"Don't be silly! The girls would love to have you along. Wouldn't you, Girls?"

The responses were both enthusiastic and heartwarmingly sincere as they nodded their collective assent.

"Sure." "Of course!" "The more, the merrier."

Mai couldn't help but be touched by their easy acceptance. Despite the fact that she was miles from her native shore, and was among a group of women who, aside from Ty Lee, she barely knew, for the first time in many months, she felt like she was _home_. And it would never cease to amaze her how much capacity any person, let alone so many people, could have for forgiveness.

She only wished she'd ever done something to _deserve_ it.

* * *

Aang and Iroh were midway through a pot a tea when there was a knock at the door. With a weary sigh, Iroh got to his feet.

"I should really post a larger sign when I'm closed," he mused amicably, "Although, I can't really blame people for missing my tea."

To the old man's surprise, it was not a customer, but an out of breath messenger.

"Forgive the intrusion," he said with a bow, "but Fire Lord Zuko's balloon has just been sighted at the outer wall. He'll be landing shortly."

"Oh! Thank you for coming to tell me."

The messenger bowed once more and hurried off.

"Is everything okay?" asked Aang as he joined Iroh near the door to the shop.

Iroh turned and beamed happily at his young friend.

"Zuko's here!"

* * *

A few moments later, Aang and Iroh were making their way to a reserved area that Kuei had arranged for the Fire Lord's somewhat frequent visits to Ba Sing Se. Nearing the miniature park just a few streets over from The Jasmine Dragon, they spotted the red-topped vessel descending toward land.

"What's with the balloon?" wondered Aang.

"The new colors look nice, don't they?" replied Iroh genially, pointing to the bright gold flame emblazoned on the scarlet envelope. "Zuko felt that the original insignia stirred too many bad memories for people, so he recently changed the black in the national emblem to gold."

"It _does_ look a lot friendlier," Aang conceded, "but what I meant was, why did they come in a small balloon instead of the royal air ship? I thought Mai hated flying in the small balloons."

Not having an answer, Iroh merely shrugged as they continued toward the landing area.

* * *

A crew of men was waiting to receive Zuko's balloon, and they were busy with the task of folding up the voluminous yards of fabric when Aang and Iroh finally arrived to greet the young Fire Lord.

"You're early!" said Iroh as he wrapped his nephew in a strong hug.

"Well, I just couldn't wait to come see you," returned Zuko with a grin.

"How did you finally convince Mai to ride in the balloon?" teased Aang. But after a quick look around revealed no sign of her, he posed a different question. "Wait…where _is_ Mai?"

The smile fell from Zuko's face, and he bent down to pick up the bag he'd set aside to hug his uncle.

"Mai won't be coming."

Without any explanation, he began walking toward the park gate. And although he hadn't said it explicitly, Iroh and Aang both understood the unspoken 'anymore' that finished his statement. With concerned glances at one another, they followed after Zuko.

Deciding it best to let the matter rest until Zuko was ready to talk, Iroh struck up a casual conversation.

"Aang tells me the reclamation of the Wulong Forest is going very well."

"Yes, it is," answered Zuko as though nothing were bothering him at all. "I stopped by there on my way to Ba Sing Se. They'll begin planting new trees next week. But it will still take years for it to grow back the way it was."

Although the Fire Lord's forced casualness wasn't fooling anyone, Iroh carried on with the small talk.

"Still, it is remarkable progress, and I hear people in the teashop speak often about how impressed they are with your efforts."

"Yeah!" chimed in Aang, also eager to try and take Zuko's mind off his troubles. "There's even a town just north of Gaoling that has a special holiday now in your honor. I didn't get to go to the festival, but I heard it was great!"

Zuko frowned with mild embarrassment at the idea. "Why would they do that?"

"I don't know," shrugged the Avatar cheerfully, "I guess they just really like you there."

While their efforts to keep the mood lighthearted were not completely thwarted, they weren't exactly successful either, and a painful silence quickly fell between the three. Not to be deterred, Iroh made one more attempt.

"Did you want to stop off at the apartment first and unpack?" asked Iroh. "Or perhaps rest after your long flight?"

Zuko looked at his uncle with a tired smile. He knew full well that the old general was merely trying to give him his space so he could brood over Mai. But oddly enough, he suddenly dreaded spending any more time alone with his turbulent thoughts. He'd had plenty of long hours to himself on the way here, and it hadn't made him feel any better about the situation.

"Actually, what I'd really like right now is a cup of your calming jasmine tea."

At this, Iroh smiled warmly.

"Then a cup of calming jasmine tea you shall have."


	3. Polite Conversation

**Important Authors Note!! **I think it is worth mentioning that, unlike my 'Fire Series'**, this story is** **rated T** due to conversations of a more mature nature. Now, I _promise_ that there is absolutely _nothing_ explicit, nor is there any foul language or overt references to anything lewd. In fact, I'm fairly certain that most of my readers are of an age that nothing here will be shocking. But if anyone is sharing this story with children under the age of 13, then you may want to read through each chapter first to ensure that no unwelcome questions will be raised.

* * *

**Unraveling the Thread**

**Chapter 3: Polite Conversation**

Late afternoon sunlight spilled through the windows of the Jasmine Dragon where three figures sat at a single table in the otherwise empty shop. On a counter nearby, a small winged lemur dozed peacefully, his full belly rising and falling with each breath.

After three cups of tea, Zuko was finally starting to relax a little. Of course, between his doddering uncle and the ever-ebullient Avatar, it was hard to stay completely glum for very long. Those two had a way of lightening a mood without even trying, and the trivial small talk was a decidedly welcome change from the hours he usually spent discussing weighty politics and intricate finances with his advisors and councilors.

Iroh poured the last of the tea into Zuko's cup, and then excused himself from the now dwindling conversation to go make a fresh pot. Unfortunately, this meant that Zuko was now relegated from his role of a half-observant listener to becoming an active participant in striking up further conversation with Aang.

Both boys suddenly found themselves with nothing much to say.

As much as Aang wanted to know what had happened between Zuko and Mai, he decided it best to take Iroh's lead and steer clear of the topic for now. So he twiddled his thumbs silently for a moment as he tried to think of a less depressing subject. But for once, it was Zuko who tentatively broke the silence.

"The first shipment of scrolls and books you wanted left about a week ago. They should be arriving at the Misty Palms Oasis any day now."

"Already?" Aang chirped with sudden excitement. "Wow, you didn't waste any time!"

"Actually, _I_ didn't do anything," confessed Zuko wryly, "Shyu has been handling it for me. He's had the Fire Sages working on it for weeks now. The rest should be done within a month or so."

"Thanks, Zuko. I really appreciate you doing this for me."

"I just hope it's enough. The way Katara described it in her letter, you made that spirit pretty angry."

"Boy, did I ever!" agreed the Avatar jovially. "When I went to the Spirit World to apologize, I thought Wan Shi Tong was going to kill me! But after he calmed down, he said if I restored what was lost, then he'd at least let me go through the library. Although," Aang added sadly, "he swears he will never bring it into the physical world again."

Zuko frowned into his teacup. "If he isn't going to bring it back, then what's the point of going through all this trouble?"

"Because I _really_ need to get into the Library," replied Aang dolefully.

"Why?"

"Well…" began Aang with slight embarrassment, "Sokka's been going on and on lately about how he can't wait to marry Suki and start a family. And it got me thinking about how to restore the traditions of the Air Nomads. But I've asked every professor at Ba Sing Se University and none of them can tell me anything!"

"Aang…you're an _air_ bender," Zuko pointed out sardonically. "What can you _possibly_ not know about your _own_ traditions?"

The boy slumped with defeat as he answered dully, "Wedding ceremonies."

"Wedding ceremonies?" repeated Zuko in bewilderment. "But…I thought Air Nomads didn't marry. You know, the whole 'detachment from worldly concerns' and all that. I mean, weren't all air benders monks and nuns?"

"Well, yeah, they were all monks and nuns but, they had to marry at _some_ point," Aang countered reasonably. "How else could they have had _kids_?"

The cup Zuko was bringing to his lips halted midway, and he threw the younger boy an incredulous sidelong look. Surely, Aang couldn't be serious. But the expression on his face indicated that he was completely earnest.

"Um, Aang…" ventured Zuko hesitantly, doing his best to find something else in the room to focus his eyes on, "Marriage isn't exactly a…_requirement_ for having children."

"It's not?"

"No," Zuko said shortly before hiding his discomfiture in a long, slow drink of tea.

Aang was now completely baffled. Granted, the monks at the air temples had never explained the exact process by which people were born, but he was pretty sure he had figured it out during his many travels while saving the world.

It was simple enough really. Sokka and Katara's parents had been married, Toph's parents were married, and Than and Ying were married when they had baby Hope. In fact, every person he had come into contact with since he awoke from the iceberg had parents who were married. So it was only logical to conclude that marriage was therefore the key factor in having children.

In short, women got _pregnant_ from being _married_. But just now, Zuko had said that wasn't the case and Zuko was definitely not a liar. This left Aang with a serious conundrum. If it wasn't _marriage_ that caused babies, then…

"Then how do women get pregnant?" asked Aang with innocent confusion.

Zuko nearly choked on his tea.

Completely unprepared for the question, the Fire Lord desperately tried to get the liquid down his throat before he asphyxiated on a sip of jasmine.

"Uh…well…they um…" he stammered as set his cup down. At just that moment, Zuko's salvation stepped into the room carrying a pot of freshly brewed tea, and he jumped to his feet, seizing his timely escape. "Why don't you ask my uncle? I'm sure he'd be happy to explain that to you."

"Explain what?" asked Iroh amicably as he set the tray down.

Zuko fixed the old general with a pleading glare. "Aang wants to know where _babies_ come from."

Iroh straightened in surprise, looking askance at his nephew, and then to the fourteen-year-old Avatar, whose face was alight with curiosity and anticipation.

"Don't you think he's a little young?" Iroh whispered from the side of his mouth.

"He's the same age _I_ was," stated Zuko dryly, his cheeks pinking slightly at the memory of his own mortifying lesson on the subject.

"Oh, right. Well…in that case," conceded Iroh. Then turning to Aang he announced cheerfully, "I would be honored to share what I know."

As Iroh sat down, Zuko quaffed the last of his tea and began to make a hasty retreat to the front door.

"Don't you want to stay and listen, Nephew?" called Iroh to his retreating back.

"No, Uncle," insisted Zuko sternly, not even bothering to turn around as he added under his breath, "Once was bad enough."

Iroh merely shrugged and poured out two cups of tea, and his voice carried across the room to the young Fire Lord leaving the shop.

"The first thing you need to know is-"

Zuko resolutely shut out the rest of the sentence by pulling the heavy door closed behind him.

* * *

As the colors of sunset fell across the stately porches of the Upper Ring, four tired figures ambled up the wide steps of the Jasmine Dragon. The two eldest girls had their arms loaded with boxes, while the youngest rode piggyback on a blue-clad, pony-tailed Water Tribe warrior.

Sokka slid Toph off his back so he could open the door, and the blind girl's eyes widened a moment after her feet touched the ground. But before she could utter a word, and just as Sokka's hand touched the handle, a voice wafted up from a hidden spot beside the stairs.

"You might not want to go in just yet," advised Zuko dully.

Startled by the sound, the teens peeked around to find the young Fire Lord sitting in the shadow of the short stairway, idly picking apart an unfortunate leaf that had found its way into his fingers. The ground was littered with several others. After a chorus of surprised greetings from his friends, he brushed off the tiny debris and stood up.

"Why don't we want to go in?" asked Sokka.

"My uncle is giving Aang 'The Talk'," he answered.

Suki's mouth pulled into a silent 'o', a faint rush of color blossomed on Katara's cheeks, and Toph did her best to stifle a giggle. Sokka, however just stared dumbly at Zuko.

"What talk?"

"You know…the _talk_," prompted Zuko with growing discomfort, glancing uneasily at the girls. Somehow, it just didn't seem polite to mention such things explicitly.

"You mean he's trying to convince Aang to eat meat? Cause if that's the case then he shouldn't bother. I've been trying for over a year now and-."

"No, not _that _talk," Zuko snapped, his patience wearing thin, "_the_ talk."

"Oh you mean the _lightning _talk. Good, because he's still having trouble with-"

"_No_…" By now, Zuko was ready to pull his hair out in frustration and his fists were clenched so tightly they were beginning to smoke.

"Well, what other talk are you talking abo-"

"_Babies_, Sokka!" the Fire Lord finally exploded in exasperation. "My uncle is giving Aang the talk about where _babies_ come from!"

Katara went from pink to scarlet, and Toph let out a snort-like chuckle while Suki just shook her head.

"Aaaah," exclaimed the dense warrior in comprehension, "_The_ Talk."

"Yes," confirmed Zuko wearily, "_The_ talk."

"Oh," shrugged Sokka unconcernedly. "Well, why didn't you just _say_ that?"

Zuko's palm connected loudly with his forehead just as the door to the teashop opened, and out came a rather pale looking Avatar. He seemed to be in a complete state of shock.

"Well...that was…informative," he muttered in a daze to no one in particular.

In fact, he didn't even register at first that he wasn't alone until he nearly stumbled into Sokka. His face turned bright red when he caught Katara's eyes, and he hastily looked away while she tired to disappear behind the pile of boxes she was carrying.

"I'm just…going to go put this stuff inside," she declared quickly and brushed past her brother, careful to pass him on the opposite side from where Aang stood.

"Yeah, me too," agreed Suki, hefting her pile.

"I'll help," chimed in Zuko promptly, whipping a uselessly tiny box off the top of Suki's stack and hurrying after the girls, anxious to avoid the aftermath of Aang's newfound sense of adulthood.

With a short, almost defeated sigh, Aang sat down on the broad steps, staring blankly ahead of him as Toph and Sokka joined him on either side. After a long moment of awkward silence, Sokka draped his arm companionably around his young friend's shoulders.

"Soooo," he drawled brightly, "now you know how to make my sister a happy woman, huh?"

Toph patted Aang consolingly on the back as he dropped his head into his hands with a humiliated groan.

**

* * *

**

**Author's note:**

I have to admit, I nearly laughed myself silly when this idea struck me on the way home from work one day. I hope you all found it as amusing as I did.

Also, please keep in mind that this story takes on a much worldlier view of the Avatar universe, one that the show could not possibly touch and still keep its child-based rating. But I am convinced that it is exactly this lack of realism that resulted in the many loose ends and poorly developed plotlines left hanging at the end of the finale.

The canon series was perfect the way it was for the audience it targeted. It had a happily-ever-after ending that really doesn't need anything else to satisfy the kids who enjoyed it. But for those of us with a deeper understanding of how life truly works, there are a lot of things that just don't add up, and this story is my way of trying to address those issues.

Once again, I would like to emphasize that _I don't care about parings_, and I'm not writing this story solely as a way of breaking up any of the relationships created in the show. However, I'm also not about to try and make any of the pairings _work_ simply because certain people 'ended up' together in the show. There were a number of flaws in how some relationships were built, and I fully intend to explore the realistic consequences of those oversights.

So I respectfully request that everyone reading _please_ refrain from ranting about personal shipping biases. This story isn't about catering to any 'ship'; therefore reviews that harp on shipping _will _be deleted.


End file.
